Warm
by CelestialDeath
Summary: A friendly snowball fight between Vincent and Tifa heats up.


My very first Final Fantasy Fanfic! ^_^ This was done for a Winter Romance Challenge. I hope nobody is out of character too badly, as I've never written them before. But, I think it came out well.

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone from FFVII.

**Warm**

The visits began after Cloud left. In the aftermath of Sephiroth's first defeat Vincent kept a distance from his friends, atoning for his sins in solitude. He'd managed to maintain a desired state of detachment until a sudden storm forced him to seek refuge at Seventh Heaven. Appearing in the doorway just as Tifa was about to lock up, he'd given the martial artist a start before a warm smile graced her face at the familiar red figure, ushering him inside. It was over a cup of warm tea that Vincent discovered Cloud had left a month before, leaving Tifa with Denzel and Marlene.

"I can't reach him, and he won't return my calls," she admitted, and much to Vincent's chagrin, there was a familiar sadness in the martial artist's face.

She'd changed the subject after a tense moment, scolding him for staying away so long and making her worry. He'd noticed that the smile never reached her eyes where shadows were beginning to gather. A gentleman at heart, Vincent found himself promising to visit more often. If only, he told himself, to lessen Tifa's worries.

Once a month he would appear at Seventh Heaven doing everything he could to ease the young woman's burden. Tifa would watch the horizon for Cloud; while Vincent watched the blazing sun of warm exuberance he'd seen in her dwindle into a flickering candle sputtering in heartache. She'd mastered a false smile, showing the children and her customers a cheerful disposition that never managed to fool Vincent. He'd seen it before when Aerith died and Tifa locked her feelings behind a smiling mask. He'd hoped never to see it again.

Then geostigma happened and the remnants attacked, forcing Cloud to come back as Sephiroth tried to re-enter the world. In the end, the young swordsman had found forgiveness, and began looking towards the future. With Cloud's return Vincent stopped visiting; Tifa didn't need him. It came as a surprise to everyone when Cloud decided to leave again. But, after months of trying he had to face the truth that this wasn't the future he wanted. Though he loved the trio at Seventh Heaven, he needed to find a new purpose without being tied down by the responsibilities of family.

Vincent, hearing the news of Cloud's departure from Yuffie, began to worry for Tifa. Despite her strength the swordsman's rejection was different than before. Gone was the excuse of being tied down by the past, she would be forced to face the fact that Cloud didn't want to be with her. In Cloud's previous absence Vincent had noticed Tifa laughed less, smiled less, and before his very eyes began growing cold. He'd been unable to help Cloud with his sorrow, still learning how to deal with his own, but Vincent would be thrice damned to Hell if he allowed the same thing to happen to Tifa. The visits began again in earnest; progressing as the time passed from monthly to weekly.

Vincent, currently planning to call on Tifa, navigates the icy streets of Edge making his way to Seventh Heaven. A cool chill swirls the air as the pale winter sun bravely fights through the clouds, creating a pleasant thirty-five degree day. Rounding the corner, loud squeals of laughter catch his attention as Marlene and Denzel race across the front yard of the bar, diving behind a large mound of snow. He watches as they hurry to make snowballs, silent footsteps bringing him to a halt behind their makeshift fort. The corner of his mouth kicks up in a smirk, hidden behind his collar, as they scream at his sudden appearance.

"I've gotcha!" Denzel hollers, arm poised to throw, freezing when the gunslinger growls.

"It would not be in your best interests to do that," Vincent advises, glaring until the boy lowers his arm. "I do not play such games and you would not enjoy the consequences if you were to hit me with a snow—"

He cuts off as a loud, fat pwap fills the air. The icy feel of melting snow sliding down the back of his head into his cowl chills his skin as a shiver zings across his spine. Turning slowly, furious blood red eyes fix on the half-crouched figure of Tifa. Eyes wide in horrified surprise, she presses a gloved hand to her mouth, body shaking as she tries to hold back escaping giggles. Failing miserably, a burble of pleasure escapes when the gunslinger raises his eyebrows in a rare expression of exasperated disbelief.

"Oh, Vincent!" Tifa gasps around a laugh, "I'm so sorry."

Eyes narrowing, he arches an eyebrow, crossing his arms as she surrenders to a burst of silvery laughter. Tilting his head towards Denzel and Marlene he says, "Perhaps an exception can be made in light of the new circumstances." Gazing at Tifa, charmed by the breathy sound of her delight, he announces with a mischievous edge, "I believe this means war."

Racing around Seventh Heaven to find refuge in the backyard, Tifa finds herself greatly outnumbered at three to one. The odds were more even when she was just fighting the kids, but now that Vincent's involved she'll be lucky to finish this snowball fight without looking like a snowman. Pressing herself against the building, Tifa scans the yard for any telltale signs of red. It was foolish to throw a snowball at Vincent, but there was something so undeniably tempting about the idea, that she couldn't resist. Never in a million years had she anticipated a direct hit, let alone the added bonus of the gunslinger's sudden decision to play. Grinning widely, Tifa closes her eyes, listening to the delighted thump of her heart. It's true that she'd been hurt when Cloud left. A part of her was certainly heartbroken, but who wouldn't be after so many years of dreaming? Yet, his departure hadn't been as surprising as she expected. Part of her knew that Cloud wasn't going to stay. What had been surprised her was Vincent.

The two had always gotten along well; she didn't pry into his past and he would occasionally open up to her, often making subtle efforts to lend a non-judgmental ear when she needed it. She'd been hurt by his sudden disappearance after Sephiroth's defeat, but figured after thirty years of sleeping he probably had things to catch up on. When he abruptly vanished after the remnants were defeated there was a painful feeling of abandonment that was hard to ignore. Tifa hadn't realized how much she'd come to enjoy his monthly visits until they suddenly stopped. Cloud was finally back, but there was an acute ache in her heart for the gunslinger.

That was, perhaps, the moment when things had started to shift. It wasn't long after Cloud left for good that Vincent started visiting again. A few months later, as Vincent washed dishes and she cleaned tables, Tifa realized she should've been more upset over Cloud's departure. Hadn't she imagined a similar image of domesticity with him for years? The pain was missing, she noticed, watching the subtle shift of muscles in Vincent's back, his cloak draped over a chair, as he scrubbed dirty glasses. Instead there was a feeling of familiar comfort she'd come to associate with the gunslinger. Though a part of her mourned the loss of Cloud, the rest of her was happy to have the gunman back. Vincent, she realized, had come to mean much more than a friend.

With this new revelation in mind, Tifa decided to let the stoic man know she was ready to start moving on from Cloud. Picking up a towel to dry she leaned against the counter next to Vincent.

Staring down at the shimmering glass in her hands she softly said, voice thoughtful, "I understand why Cloud didn't stay. He's not the same boy that left Nibelheim with a dream of becoming a hero. I'm not the same girl waiting to be rescued. We've both been changed by everything that happened, and that's okay. A part of me will always be the girl that loved Cloud," looking up garnet eyes locked with ruby, "but that doesn't mean I can't move on."

Vincent had given her a non-committal hum of encouragement, showing no signs that her words had any effect on him. It didn't seem to matter that she'd spent every visit since that conversation trying to draw his attention through subtle flirting and soft touches. Every time something was passed between them she made sure their fingers brushed, and she'd started giving him a gentle squeeze when he left. Unfortunately, nothing had changed. Opening her eyes Tifa huffs in frustration. For someone so perceptive, Vincent could sure be blind sometimes.

The crunch of snow alerts Tifa to approaching danger and she crouches low, using the shadows of the back porch to hide her. Marlene appears on the edge of her vision, checking the backyard for the elusive martial artist. Head swiveling left to right, she turns away running towards the front as she calls to Denzel.

"I don't see her!"

Scooping up a mound of snow, Tifa breaks into a creeping sprint after the little girl. She makes it four steps before a shadow races across the snow in front of her, turning she sees Vincent pounce off the roof to tackle her. They slide into the fluffy snow, his arms wrapped tightly around her as his body takes the force of the blow, skidding halfway across the yard. Stunned, Tifa draws in a shaky breath, the air knocked out of her by the sudden impact.

"Are you alright?" Vincent asks, voice rumbling in his chest beneath her ear.

"Yeah, fine," she replies with a laugh, "just surprised."

"Good."

Between one heartbeat and the next Tifa finds herself dumped face first into the snow. Lifting her head with a sputtering cough she squeals in shock as a handful of freezing wet snow is shoved down the back of her coat. Caressing her neck Vincent leans close, pressing his cold nose against the sensitive skin behind her ear as he purrs, "Now, we are even."

"Says you," Tifa argues with a grunt, "I'm freezing and that hardly seems fair."

A dark chuckle leaves the man above her as Tifa rolls over. Reaching up she burrows icy fingers in thick black hair, pressing frozen digits against the warm skin beneath.

Grinning devilishly when he shivers Tifa mockingly scolds, "I told you I was cold."

Eyes narrowing, Vincent hums in appreciation, tugging down the collar of his cloak. Bemused, Tifa smiles at the unexpected reveal, gasping as his head dips pressing a gentle kiss to her throat. Lips trailing soft skin Vincent nips playfully at her jaw, traveling up to kiss a bright red cheek. Warm ruby meets startled garnet as he smirks, rubbing his nose against hers. Lingering kisses trail down the other crimson cheek, ending with her sudden whimper as he finishes with an openmouthed kiss, sucking gently on her rapidly jumping pulse point.

Pulling back, he looks down at Tifa's wide eyes and flushed face, a crooked smile curling his lips as he asks in a deep rumbling purr, "Shall I warm you, Tifa?"

Heat shooting in her veins as his voice vibrates through her; Tifa swallows at the mixture of desire and affection in his eyes. A heartbeat, two. He hasn't backed down from the offer. Throwing caution to the wind, she grips his hair, pulling his head down to meet hers. The kiss is sweet, warm, and soft; a tentative touch growing bolder as the heat begins to build. Fingers tangled in his hair Tifa tugs, drawing him closer as his body presses against her. Moaning at the contact she curls a leg up over his hip. Hand entwined with the dark locks of her hair Vincent tilts her head back, deepening the kiss with a growl as her mouth opens beneath his. The cold touch of his claw slides against her ribs, gold digits slipping beneath coat and shirt to press against her skin. Tongues lapping, twisting, tangling Vincent rolls them over trapping Tifa on top of him. Nipping at her bruised bottom lip he pulls away as she gasps for air. Tifa looks down at him in a heady daze as he watches her from beneath satisfied half-lidded eyes.

"There she is, get her!" Denzel hollers, as the two children dash around the building towards them. With a loud war cry they pelt the adults in a bombardment of snowballs.

"We did it! We won!" Marlene shrieks jumping up and down as Denzel crows with victory.

"C'mon Marlene, let's go inside before they can get us," the boy cries, grabbing the little girl's hand as they run into the safety of Seventh Heaven.

Tifa, now much snowier, lifts her head from Vincent's shoulder, glaring at him as he shakes with silent mirth.

"You heard them coming," she realizes after a moment, mouth dropping open, "and rolled us over so I'd get attacked."

"That is a very real possibility."

"That was mean," she grumbles with a mock pout, swatting his arm.

"Perhaps," he agrees, lips brushing her face before his mouth stops against her ear, deep voice velvet rough. "But, I believe we will both enjoy getting warm."


End file.
